Arsenal want to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, and are tracking Greece midfield prodigy Konstantinos Karetsas too. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.
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Kepa Arrizabalaga is still the world’s most expensive goalkeeper transfer. Diego Radames/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
TRENDING RUMORS
– Arsenal have opened talks to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga as a backup to David Raya, says Sky Sport Italia. The Gunners need a second goalkeeper after Neto’s loan from Bournemouth expired and the club failed to sign Espanyol’s Joan García, who is joining Barcelona. Kepa spent last season on loan at Bournemouth and has no future at Chelsea, despite the Blues spending £71.6 million to sign him from Athletic Club in 2018 — a world-record for a goalkeeper. He could now be signed for as little as £5m.
– The Gunners are also interested in a move for Genk prodigy Konstantinos Karetsas, 17, says AMNA. Karetsas’ transfer would cost around €45m and the midfielder impressed this season with three goals and four assists in 39 appearances as Thorsten Fink’s side won the Belgian Pro League. The Greece international, who played for Belgium at youth level, could be loaned back to Genk for the 2025-26 campaign.
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– Manchester City are continuing negotiations with Lyon regarding Rayan Cherki after reaching an agreement with the attacking midfielder, reports Fabrizio Romano. The 21-year-old almost inspired a comeback for France against Spain on Thursday night in a brilliant showing on his senior international debut. Cherki reportedly wants to move to City and the transfer fee is likely to be worth more than €30m.
– AC Milan are looking to loan Liverpool winger Federico Chiesa, according to DAZN. Chiesa, 27, did not make much of an impression after his move from Juventus and made just 14 appearances for the Reds last season as they won the Premier League. The Italy international is reported to be keen on a return to Serie A and Milan are one of the clubs he would consider joining.
– Galatasaray are determined to permanently sign Victor Osimhen once his loan from Napoli ends and have offered the striker a salary of €26m per year, according to Foot Mercato. The Turkish Super Lig club will face competition from Al Hilal, and Corriere dello Sport reports that the Saudi Pro League side have already made Napoli a second offer for the 26-year-old after the first was turned down.
COMPLETED TRANSFERS
– Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães has signed a new long-term contract, keeping him at the club until 2029. Read
– OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, 25, has completed a permanent €39m move to West Ham United after the expiry of his loan. Read
– RB Leipzig defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu has extended his contract until 2029. Read
– FC Porto announced the signing of Spain midfielder Gabri Veiga, 23, on a permanent transfer from Al Ahli for €15m plus €4m in add-ons. Read
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Madrid correspondent Alex Kirkland looks at a move for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Arsenal have just sent one reserve goalkeeper, Neto, back to Bournemouth after his loan spell ended — so why not sign another keeper who’s just spent a season at Bournemouth to replace him?
A move for Kepa to be Raya’s deputy for 2025-26 makes a lot of sense. Kepa, 30, is an experienced pro, who’s already proven he can be relied upon to effectively play the back-up role at a big club, as he did at Real Madrid in 2023-24.
At Madrid, people were impressed with Kepa’s attitude and professionalism in training. He’d been brought in to cover the injured Thibaut Courtois, but even after losing his spot in the team to the younger Andriy Lunin, he continued to work hard, with humility, and didn’t rock the boat.
That’s just the kind of attitude needed at Arsenal, where Raya, if fit, would be expected to start the vast majority of games. And Kepa is a significantly better keeper than Neto, and could be expected to step into the team when required and deliver, unlike Neto’s disastrous Champions League cameo for Arsenal against Girona in January.
Of course, Kepa would be a much less exciting signing than Joan García, who’s now set for Barcelona after Arsenal failed to land him last summer, and since wowed in LaLiga with Espanyol. But a No. 2 goalkeeper doesn’t need to be exciting. They just need to be dependable, and comfortable with their role. And Kepa would fit the bill.
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– Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 52 games last season, is still in contact with his former boss Ruben Amorim, who is now at Man United. The Sweden international could make a move for £60m this summer. (TalkSPORT)
– Arsenal are interested in signing Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, 24, who is unhappy at his lack of game time in the Spanish capital. (Sky Sports)
– Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha has struggled for minutes and the 29-year-old could be open to leaving if things don’t change. (Sky Sports Germany)
– Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface could part ways with the club if a good offer arrives. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Lyon could sign midfielder Danilo and USMNT goalkeeper Matt Turner from Nottingham Forest for a combined total of over €30m. However, that will rely on the club being released from their constraints on June 24 by the administrative directorate of the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), which is responsible for monitoring and overseeing the accounts for professional football clubs in France. (L’Equipe)
– Marseille have reached a verbal agreement to sign former Lille midfielder Angel Gomes as free agent. (RMC)
– Shakhtar Donetsk’s Kevin and Real Betis’ Jesús Rodriguez are both on RB Leipzig’s list of options for the wing, although the Bundesliga club haven’t yet held concrete talks for either of them. Neither the position nor the players are a priority at the moment. (Sky Germany)
– AC Milan have placed Bayer Leverkusen’s Granit Xhaka among their list of options as the Bundesliga club aim to reinforce their midfield. There hasn’t yet been any contact between the parties, but the 32-year-old is open to a new experience and could leave Die Werkself in the summer.(Matteo Moretto)
– Brighton are keen on a move for Marseille midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who had a breakout tournament at the 2022 World Cup for Morocco. (Footmercato)
– Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou is set to earn £4m in compensation if he is sacked. (Telegraph)